THE UEFA Champions League might be keeping us entertained on the pitch, but off it, there's plenty brewing behind the scenes ahead of the January transfer window.

Today's Rumour Mill sees a couple of old flames flirting again and plenty of Premier League clubs looking for a clever fix for voids in their squads.

BARCELONA STILL WANT LUIZ

News_Rich_Media: Barcelona has announced plans for a new 105,000 seat stadium, with the club are yet to reveal whether they will move away from Nou Camp, or renovate the famous stadium.

The Daily Star kicks us off on Thursday with reports of a 52 million dollar bid for Chelsea's David Luiz.

Their courting of the flamboyant Brazilian defender was one of the headlines last European summer; a transfer fee disagreement saw it stumble then, but as Gerardo Martino looks for world class cover for Carlos Puyol and Gerard Pique, Luiz has become a priority.

He's back in full training after a knee injury but still has not yet been a consistent selection for Jose Mourinho since he took over from Rafa Benitez.

SIGN SOON, OR SPECULATE

Manchester United are eager to re-start contract negotiations with Wayne Rooney, but the Daily Mail reports the England star is just holding off as he sees how things pan out at Old Trafford.

"Rooney's camp are determined to take stock of the growing unrest around Old Trafford before making any decision on arguably the most pivotal contract of his career," the paper reports.

Rooney has 18 months left on his contract and his start to the season has shown him important to United and how crucial it is they don't sell him to a rival EPL club.

With speculation hovering around Robin van Persie too, the best way to silence the gossip is to return to the winners' circle.

CHELSEA'S TRUMP CARD

News_Image_File: Schalke's midfielder Julian Draxler is one of Europe's most wanted.

Still at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea think they have the trump card to beat Manchester United and Arsenal to highly rated Schalke target Julian Draxler.

Draxler, 20, who scored in this morning's UCL action, has impressed in the Bundesliga but the attacking midfielder has made his feelings known about manager Jens Keller's tactics.

To sweeten a deal for Draxler, who has four-years left on his current contract and a 72m dollar buy-out clause, Chelsea will offer Kevin De Bruyne as part of a deal.

Draxler clearly wants away, saying recently: "I'm telling you honestly that my dream is to play for one of the big clubs at some point.

"If you want to achieve the big goals, which every world class player has, you have to play at the biggest clubs.

"These are Real, Barca, [Manchester] United, Arsenal and Chelsea."

News_Rich_Media: Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score nine goals in the group stage of the Champions League with his strike in Real Madrid's 2-0 win over FC Copenhagen.

AUSSIE RADAR

A couple of update on Aussies on the fringes in England.

Ryan Williams, brother of Socceroos defender Rhys, wants to extend his loan stay at Oxford United, rather than return to Fulham before season's end. "I'm having fun, we're getting results and scoring goals - I could not really be happier. I think it would be quite stupid for me to go elsewhere at this point in time," he said.

Massimo Luongo has impressed at Swindon Town after his off-season move from Tottenham. Club manager Mark Cooper is expecting interest for the midfielder: "If Massimo plays to the level he has been, then of course that's going to happen - that's natural and normal because he's produced a string of performances that are of a very high standard, as have a lot of the other boys."

MESSI'S STAYING, STOP SPECULATING

Just because Cristiano Ronaldo got a nice juicy contract extension, doesn't mean we have to do it too, says Barcelona vice-president Javier Faus, after people questioned why Barcelona have not extended his stay beyond a freshly inked deal that expires in 2018.

"I do not know why we have to do it again. We do not have to improve a contract every six months," Faus told radio station RAC 1.

With "zero possibility" of selling Messi, a new deal simply isn't on the club's agenda. What is on the agenda, however, is new deals for Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta, Marc Bartra, Martin Montoya and Tonny Sanabria, Sky Sports reports.

News_Image_File: AS Roma forward Francesco Totti is the eternal skipper in the eternal city.

News_Rich_Media: Russian football club incorporates firing cannons in their goalkeeper training.

"I still have many years to wear this jersey. When I was a child I was admiring the Real Madrid champions, but I was dreaming of being Roma captain. For me Romans and Roma fans are not supporters or friends, they are like a family."

SNIPPETS

West Ham boss Sam Alardyce looks like going back to the future as his ploy to add much needed spark to his side, who have scored just five goals in eight recent matches. Yesterday it was Diego Milito, today it's Obafemi Martins, on loan from MLS club Seattle Sounders, the Telegraph reports.

News_Image_File: Could we see Obafemi Martins back in the EPL?

News_Rich_Media: Every goal from every game in Tuesday's Champions League action.

Where to for Dzeko? It's a World Cup year, and the Bosnia-Herzegovina star wants to be the main man, which he isn't, behind Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo at Manchester City. International colleague Miralem Pjanic said: "I'm in contact with him and I know he aspires to play more and feel more important".

The Sun reports that Iago Aspas could see his hopes of moving back on loan to Spain scuppered by Liverpool's injury list.

The Daily Mirror suggests that Stoke are targeting Dutch striker Luuk de Jong from Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The Daily Mail suggests that Tom Ince is on Tottenham's radar.

EXPENSIVE U-TURN

Erik Lamela has proven to be no solution for Gareth Bale's absence, and Andre-Villas Boas could loan him out to Atletic Madrid to help him re-build his self-esteem, according to reports.

The 21-year-old, who joined for 54 million dollars from Roma, has had trouble with the language, and has only started two EPL fixtures. Hardly a great return for a marquee purchase.

News_Image_File: Erik Lamela has failed to live up to the hype so far at White Hart Lane.

JOIN THE KNOCKBACK QUEUE

Expect a bit of this, through January - Manchester United midfield targets declaring they're happy where they are.

Today, it's Kevin Strootman, a highly rated Roma midfielder.

"Kevin is very happy in Rome and his intention is to stay here for a long time," his agent Chiel Dekker told Sky Sports.

They're also keeping tabs on Brazilian starlet Mosquito, the Daily Mirror reports. Chelsea, Real Madrid and Juventus are all monitoring the Atletico Paranaense youngster who starred at the recent under-17 World Cup.